delay pedals

Keith Poteat · Post by **Keith Poteat** » 12 Aug 2009 12:02 pm

Could anyone tell me if there is a big difference in the sound you get from a delay pedal like a DOD compared to a Memory Man? Is it worth the big price difference? Thanks for any input.

Tommy Shown · Post by **Tommy Shown** » 12 Aug 2009 4:34 pm

Keith the delay pedal (when set up correctly )can really give you a rich sound and also if you happen to be playing an up tempo song it can make one note sound like two. Bobbe Seymour on Youtube can explain it better than I can. And he can help with settings on it also. I played with a guy that had one on his electric guitar amp at one time and it gave the guitar a much fuller sound by fattening up the tone.
and made the band have a fuller sound also.
Tommy

Keith Poteat · Post by **Keith Poteat** » 13 Aug 2009 7:01 am

Thanks Tommy

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 13 Aug 2009 8:02 am

The cheaper DOD stuff works okay. You get good value for your money, but you shouldn't be expecting a whole lot. The Electro Harmonix Memory Man is a big step up, quality-wise and feature-wise, but it's priced accordingly. Electro Harmonix also makes a cheaper stomp unit for about $100 that's a fairly good unit, also. There's many in the mid-range price as well, such as the MXR 169 and the Boss RV-5 or DD-7. As far as bang-for-the-buck, though, the Ibanez DE-7 is hard to beat.

All of them need to be plugged in, however. I've yet to see a good delay that will run any length of time on batteries.

Keith Poteat · Post by **Keith Poteat** » 13 Aug 2009 10:37 am

Thanks Donny

Twayn Williams · Post by **Twayn Williams** » 13 Aug 2009 10:45 am

The repeats on an analog delay are "rounder", i.e. the top end degrades with each repeat. Digital delays are "sharper" and do not degrade the same way as the repeats fade out. However, there are certain digital delays that mimic the rounding of an analog delay.

Analog delay pedals will tend to sit better in the mix than digital delays, but YMMV.

Keith Poteat · Post by **Keith Poteat** » 13 Aug 2009 11:15 am

Thanks Twayn. All you folks have been very helpful. I used a Maestro Echoplex for many years playing guitar and I guess that's the sound I'm looking for.

Jerry Overstreet · Post by **Jerry Overstreet** » 13 Aug 2009 11:37 am

If you like the Echoplex sound, you may not be happy with a digital delay pedal. I think the Ibanez AD 9 is a pretty reasonably priced analog pedal that you might like better. You can find 'em used for under a hunnerd bucks. In the digital arena, many pedal steelers like the Boss DD3.

OTOH, if you are on a budget, even the cheap delay pedals will help thicken up your sound somewhat. Maybe consider a test drive at your local music store.

Larry Bressington · Post by **Larry Bressington** » 13 Aug 2009 5:23 pm

Boss, be done with it!

Clete Ritta · Post by **Clete Ritta** » 13 Aug 2009 9:17 pm

I use a Boss DD-3 for delay. For the Bobbe-style repeat effect, set it for one long equal volume repeat. I use this on guitar for the U2 Edge and Pink Floyd Wall type stuff too. The digital is nice since the repeat sounds nearly identical to the original. The analog delays do have a really cool sound too, if thats your preference.

Olli Haavisto · Post by **Olli Haavisto** » 13 Aug 2009 11:16 pm

Or get the Seymour Duncan Deja Vu. Analog and digital, continuously variable.
Does just about anything you could ask for in a stomp box delay.
Got one yesterday and I think it`s probably the best delay pedal I`ve tried. And no programming, just knobs and switches. Simple and fast...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y19m4r8pHVs

Loren Claypool · Post by **Loren Claypool** » 14 Aug 2009 7:42 am

I think I've posted this before in other threads but I'll share again. For the "best of both worlds" device, the Analog Man Hi Cut modified Boss DD-3 is hard to beat, IMHO. Flip the added switch one way and the pedal functions in unmodified digital form. Flip it the other way and "each delay gets darker and darker, like an analog delay". I have several delays of the analog, digital, and plug-in variety and chose to take only the modified DD-3 on a gig last weekend. The unit was also mentioned in this month's issue of ToneQuest. Good stuff.

Gabriel Stutz · Post by **Gabriel Stutz** » 14 Aug 2009 1:49 pm

If you like a darker sounding delay, definitely go with an analog. I agree that analog delays lay better in the overall mix of a band. I recently bought one of the the MXR carbon copy delays, which is pretty affordable for an analog delay, and it has true bypass, so when it's off it doesn't mess with your tone. I have not tried it with steel yet, but it sounds great to me with a 6 string. I will be trying it soon with the steel, maybe tonight, in fact. I have yet to get a delay into my steel rig, but am curious about it, too.

Gabriel

Brad Sarno · Post by **Brad Sarno** » 14 Aug 2009 4:15 pm

Olli Haavisto wrote:Or get the Seymour Duncan Deja Vu. ...... I think it`s probably the best delay pedal I`ve tried.

Wow, thanks Olli. That one looks like it's really got it going on. I'll have to check that one out.

Brad

Jim Sliff · Post by **Jim Sliff** » 14 Aug 2009 4:52 pm

There are HUGE differences in delay sounds, and neither of those would be considered higher-end units (a subjective comment, but I'm a delay freak and try everything I can get my hands on).

DOD's doesn't knock me out tonally, and they're no known for great build quality. The EH is decent sounding, but has a large footprint and is noisy.

I'd take a look at the SIB Mr. Echo (I think the new one one is the "Plus"), The H&K Replex, the Line 6 DL-4 or a serviced tape unit. THOSE will get you good analog delay sounds.

If your budget won't handle those, then the Boss is OK...but one sleeper is actually a digital unit with a "crap factor" built in - it sounds more analog than some analog pedals - it's the discontinued Ibanez EM5 Echomachine from the "Soundtank" series.

Buck Grantham · Post by **Buck Grantham** » 14 Aug 2009 8:38 pm

I just bought a DL-8 HARDWIRE stomp box about a month ago . Already played two steel guitar conventions with it and I am real happy with it . It has delay but not reverb, Sells for 159.95 plus 20.00 for the power module. Buck Grantham

Clete Ritta · Post by **Clete Ritta** » 14 Aug 2009 11:23 pm

Jim Sliff wrote:There are HUGE differences in delay sounds, and neither of those would be considered higher-end units (a subjective comment, but I'm a delay freak and try everything I can get my hands on).

I use the Boss DD-3 for live performance, just out of convenience and affordability; but I've used this same model for many years, and can hardly live without it. For recording though, the Fractal Audio Axe-FX is on my list of high end processors that I'd like to own (used to be Lexicon, then the Eventide Ultra-Harmonizer 3000). Granted its a huge sum of $, but it apparently does everything but the dishes afterwards.

Gordon Hartin · Post by **Gordon Hartin** » 15 Aug 2009 5:45 am

There are 2 types of Memory Man pedals, analog and digital. I like the Stereo Memory Man with Hazarai, which is a digital delay. My favorite feature of the pedal is the built in tap tempo button. That way you can just tap your foot on the pedal and now you are the same tempo of the song. You can also save your favorite delay settings.

I also have a couple Boss Delay, and PS-3 which is a picthshifter delay, and a dd-5. The dd-5 you can add a pedal for tap tempo.

But just recently I bought an actual tape delay, a Hiwatt Custom Tape Echo, and it has the warmest delay sounds of anything i've ever used.

Gordon

Geoff Cline · Post by **Geoff Cline** » 15 Aug 2009 6:30 pm

So many delays to try. The Empress Superdelay is an amazing digital box that does great Echoplex-type sounds, as well as tap tempo, reverse and many others. But its a bit pricey and complicated (but KILLER).

On the simple (but great) end of the spectrum, the Freakshow Effects Digilog delay is very analog sounding, easy to use and is great for slap back and "fattening" as well as 600ms type delay/repeats. Also has a cool self-oscillating/feeed back button that allows for some great effects. Highly recommend this!!

Then there are my favorite(s), the oil can delays. The best...better than tape. But hard to find in good working order.

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